The invention relates to a tool for applying the insulating strip which separates the two panes of glass in double-glazed glass.
The manufacture of double-glazed insulating glass for use in residential windows and the like requires the use of sealed spacers along the edges of the glass between the two panes to maintain the separation, and a desiccant to prevent the condensation of moisture between the two panes. A successful form of insulating strip has been a product sold by Tremco Ltd. under the trade mark SWIGGLE STRIP. This form of insulating strip combines the spacer, sealant and desiccant in one strip. It is an extruded butyl-based thermo-plastic strip which contains a corrugated aluminum spacer and desiccant. The strip is rectangular in cross-section, and is sold in a number of standard sizes from 1/4".times.1/4" to 1/4".times.5/8". It is sold in a continuous roll on a paper tape backing.
SWIGGLE STRIP (referred to hereafter simply as "insulating strip" or "strip") has been found to be a convenient product in the manufacturing of double-glazed windows. The product at room temperature has considerable adhesive properties. In the past it has been applied by hand, by rolling the strip off the roll, aligning it along the edge of the glass by hand and pressing the strip down to adhere it to the glass. Once the strip has been applied around the entire perimeter of the first pane of glass, the second pane is placed on top of the strip, and the entire unit is heated to bond the strip to the glass, and the two panes are pressed together. This application by hand is a time-consuming procedure, and in the past it has taken approximately seven minutes for two pieces of glass to be joined into a double-paned unit from washing to the stage where the glass is ready to be installed on a frame.
The present invention provides a tool for applying the strip to the glass which greatly reduces the time required for assembling double-glazed windows. For example, the window which previously required seven minutes to manufacture can now be done in approximately one minute using the invention.